


We Own The Sky

by Insomnia_Productions



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Gen, I don't really know what I'm doing here I just need more hunter fam interaction, Mito meets gon's new parents, That is all, anyway yeah intervention kidnapping, does kurapika still count as a mom?, everyone's hella platonic here, he was a mom in the first arc but now tbh he needs a parent himself, melody might show up idk, no ships, road trip au, so have this, what up first hxh fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-16
Updated: 2017-05-02
Packaged: 2018-10-19 15:30:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10642755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Insomnia_Productions/pseuds/Insomnia_Productions
Summary: “Good morning, sleeping beauty.”The world is blurry around the edges. Kurapika’s head feels fuzzy and, although he can sense the amused sarcasm in the greeting, his muted hearing doesn’t allow him to distinguish the voice. Gradually, his eyes come into focus. A car windshield, a stretch of highway along the coast. Not another car in sight.fuck· ~ · ~ ·Or: The Hunter Fam decides that Kurapika needs an intervention. So they kidnap him.





	1. Kidnapping x And x Intervention

“Good morning, sleeping beauty.”

The world is blurry around the edges. Kurapika’s head feels fuzzy and, although he can sense the amused sarcasm in the greeting, his muted hearing doesn’t allow him to distinguish the voice. Gradually, his eyes come into focus. A car windshield, a stretch of highway along the coast. Not another car in sight. Bolting upright, Kurapika can feel his heart hammering, the seatbelt locked and pressing against him like a chain. It would be ironic, if he had the time for irony. A hand squeezes his shoulder, pushing him gently but firmly back against the seat. 

“Relax, it’s just me.” 

It takes a moment to remember how to speak words. “...Leorio?” 

His friends grins at him from the driver’s seat. “Who else?” 

“Where are we?” 

Leorio shrugs. “I don’t know, I’m just driving.”

Somehow, Kurapika resists the urge to facepalm. “You know I have a job, right?” 

“Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. You’re on vacation.” 

“Nostrade—”

“Nostrade gave you two months.” 

“... _ What?! _ ” Kurapika gives Leorio a brief one-over. His clothes are spotless and well-ironed; his hair is combed; his face looks clean and calm. He  _ looks  _ perfectly sane, or at least, no more odd than usual. But he can’t possibly be all there, not after saying something like that. “Leorio,” Kurapika begins, as gently as he can manage, “have you been drinking enough? Getting enough shade?” 

“Are you  _ really _ the right person to lecture me on a healthy lifestyle?” 

Kurapika sets the comment aside and makes a mental note to bring it up again later. “I think you’re delusional. Nostrade gets angry if I’m two minutes late to his summons, he would never give me two  _ months  _ off. I wasn’t aware he gave vacation days at all.” 

“He does when his daughter tells him to,” Leorio counters. “By the way, that employer of yours is a terror.” 

“You haven’t seen anything,” Kurapika mutters. Leorio’s words sink in. “Wait, Neon Nostrade asked her father to give me a vacation?”

“Asking really isn’t the right word. I only heard it through Melody’s phone, so I didn’t see anything, but I’m pretty sure I heard something big and expensive breaking.” 

“Melody?” There’s too much information hitting him at once. Kurapika shakes his head, as if that will clear it of the onslaught of surprises. “Wait, you’re in contact with Melody? And why would Neon Nostrade throw a tantrum to get  _ me  _ vacation days?” 

Leorio sighs. It’s that same huff of breath he gives every time he’s about to launch into a lecture, usually on the subject of Kurapika’s health and/or his tendency to get injured; that odd mix of frustration, anger, and affection. “For someone who hasn’t spoken to me in almost a year, you’re weirdly talkative today. Just keep quiet for a minute.” Kurapika bites his tongue, averting his eyes out the window; he’s right. He can feel Leorio glancing over at him. The doctor sighs again, fingers tapping against the wheel. “You weren’t answering my calls, so I called Melody instead, and we just kept in touch after that. She’s worried about you, you know. All of us are. You never talk to anyone anymore. Melody says you spend all your time in your room. So, we decided to stage an intervention. We told Neon about our concerns, and she agreed to help. She’s surprisingly fond of you.” Leorio pauses here, laughing for a moment. “For someone so prickly and unsocial, you’re very popular. Anyway, she got Nostrade to give you a vacation. Melody knew you wouldn’t agree, so she didn’t tell you. Instead, she waited until I arrived, and then she played something on the flute that put you to sleep, and we put you in the car, and now we’re miles away from that city and not going back until your two months are up.” His voice hardens towards the end, leaving no room for argument. 

“...I see.” There’s a beat of silence. “Oh—!” Kurapika jerks away from the window he’s been leaning on. “The eyes, what—” 

“Right here.” Slowing the car, Leorio pulls a box out of his pocket, no larger than a matchbox. “Got it from a Conjurer. You can fit anything in it.” He grins. “Including a safe full of eyes.” After a pause, he adds, “The things I never thought I would say.” 

Kurapika allows himself to relax, breathing out slowly as he leans back against the window. He frowns. “You did all of this for me, after I’ve been ignoring you for so long?” 

“Of course. We’re friends, aren’t we? I was worried about you. Besides, after Melody told me about the eyes, I understood why you weren’t picking up.”

“...Thank you, Leorio. I appreciate it.” 

Leorio raises an eyebrow. “Hey, don’t strain yourself. And don’t think you’re off the hook that easily. As soon as you’ve recovered, I’m still going to kick your ass.” 

“You can try.” 

“See, you’re back to being the insufferably cocky asshole we know and love already.” He pauses, thinking. “But, if you want to apologize, you can do that right now.” 

“Hm?”

“Melody told you what happened to Gon, right?” 

“Yes, about a week after.”

Leorio jerks a thumb over his shoulder, and Kurapika peers around the seat to see Gon and Killua slumped against each other in the back. Leaning against Killua’s other side is a small girl with dark hair. All three children are fast asleep. After a moment, Gon stirs, one eye cracking open. He looks blearily around, face splitting in a yawn, until he looks to the front and both his eyes widen. “Oh!” A beaming smile spreads across his face, teeth flashing. “Kurapika’s awake!” 

Gon grabs Killua’s shoulder, shaking the white-haired boy vigorously until Killua groans and pushes him away. Glaring with sleepy confusion at his friend, Killua follows Gon’s gaze, and his eyes fall on Kurapika. 

“Oh! Kurapika’s awake!” 

“Pfft…” Kurapika is still a little confused, not to mention annoyed at having been effectively kidnapped from his job, but he can’t hold back a small chuckle at his younger friends. They sound exactly the same and, honestly, it’s  _ adorable _ . 

“You look much better!” Gon is saying. “When we picked you up, you looked really pale and tired, but now you’re back to normal! Ah, I'm so relieved…” 

Kurapika's grip tightens on the seat; guilt forces his head down, and he has to force himself to meet his friend’s eyes. “Gon, I… I wasn't there for you at a time when you needed support, even though you've always come to my aid when I needed it. You're a good friend, better than I deserve, and… I'm sorry. I haven't been a very good friend to you lately, all of you, and I really am sorry for that.” 

Gon blinks owlishly at him. “But, you didn't know, right?” 

“No, but—”

“Then it's fine!” He rubs the back of his head, his smile lopsided. “If you'd known and still not come, I probably would've been sad, but since you didn't hear about it until after, it's all okay!” 

“Gon…” Kurapika feels a matching smile spread across his face. “Thank you.” 

“Whatever,” Killua snorts. “I still think you should be punished for ignoring us.” A grin appears on his face that can only be described as chaotic evil. “That Nostrade guy pays you pretty well, right? You should pay for the rest of this trip.” Taking a deep breath, he starts counting on his fingers: “First, I want at least four cubic meters’ worth of assorted sweets, daily. Three, if I'm feeling nice. Then—”

“ _ Killua _ ,” Gon whines, pushing his friend, “the whole point of this trip is for him to  _ relax _ !” He turns back to Kurapika. “Leorio says you've found more eyes! How many do you have?” 

“About a hundred,” Kurapika says, the words hardly out of his mouth before Gon is bouncing in his seat. 

“A hundred?? But it hasn't even been a year! Where'd you find them? How’d you get them?”

“Well, that's a long sto—”

“Oh, oh, Killua! Kurapika doesn't know about the war we were in!” After once again shaking his disgruntled friend, Gon faces the front with shining eyes. “You remember when we met at the Angel’s Arena and we told you about Kite? He got turned into a little girl! Oh, but he's grown up now. I mean, she? Well, it's a really long story, but first we fought a bunch of Chimera Ant soldiers but  _ then  _ we met some who could use  _ Nen _ and there was this scary cat lady and…” Gon rambles on, and Kurapika turns back to the windshield, settling back in his seat. Gon’s words wash over him, painting moving pictures, and Killua soon joins in with sounds of disbelief and sharp comments amending every other phrase. Within minutes, the story dissolves into an argument as the kids bicker over the facts. Kurapika closes his eyes and smiles. The sun shining through the windshield feels warm against his face. He's missed this. 

 

.

 

“...And then we ran into each other again, a few months after I took Alluka to see the world, and we figured we’d just keep traveling together, which was when we got the call from Leorio—”

“And now we’re here!” Gon interrupts, oblivious to Killua’s withering look. 

It's been well over two hours. After much argument, the gist of the story finally came through. Alluka woke up at some point after the two boys attempted a brief fistfight in their limited backseat space, and was introduced by a Killua who looked far too puffed and proud for his own good. Gon had said that this trip was intended to help him relax, but Kurapika thinks he might just get out of this more stressed than he was to begin with. 

“WAIT A SECOND!” Killua suddenly yells. “Leorio, we forgot to tell him what you did!”

Leorio, who has been listlessly silent up until now—mostly because it's impossible to get a word in edgeways—comes to life. “Right!” Eyes sparkling, he recounts, “I punched Gings Freecs in the face, and the Hunters voted me as the new chairman.” 

Kurapika nearly chokes. “What?!” 

“He punched Gon’s dad in the  _ face _ ,” Killua repeats, shoving his tablet forward. “And then the Hunters tried to vote him for chairman, but he didn't want to be, so that creepy rat guy was chosen instead.” 

Kurapika looks at the tablet. Indeed, the video shown does feature Leorio punching Ging, followed by a standing ovation. 

“Watch it on half speed,” Killua suggests. “You'll thank me later.” 

(He does. And he does.) 

 

.

 

They stop along the sand when the sky turns red, still few hours away from buildings rising in the distance. Leorio opens that small box and pulls out a massive cloth, and some pillows, blankets, and sleeping bags. They spread it all out a short distance from the water, and Gon grabs his fishing rod from the trunk and dashes away while Killua shows Alluka how to make a fire. Kurapika finds his normal clothing, reminiscent of the typical Kurta style, in the trunk as well— _ “I got it from Nostrade, now just change out of that suit quickly, it doesn't look right on you.” _ —and is relieved to be rid of the suit his job requires. 

By the time the moon takes its place amongst the stars, the fire is dying, orange embers barely glowing beneath the piled sticks. The five of them are spread out on the sheet. Leorio is already asleep, glasses skewed on his face, sleeping bag zipped almost up to his nose. Killua and Gon are lying half in their sleeping bags and half out, half on each other and half not, with blankets and pillows strewn haphazardly around them. They, too, are fast asleep, snoring softly. Unaccustomed to the proximity, or even the ability to sleep so easily, Kurapika extracts himself from the group and sits down on the sand, watching the waves crawl up and down the beach. It's been a long time since he slept like this, surrounded by friends, with the open universe above him. He wonders if Chrollo Lucilfer is looking at the same sky, if he's found someone to release the seal on his Nen, if he's already back in the game and waiting for Kurapika to come and play. 

After a moment, someone small sits next to him. Kurapika takes in the shadowed blue eyes, subtly different from the lighter glow usually present on Alluka’s face. 

“...Are you Nanika?”

The girl nods. 

“It's nice to meet you. I'm Kurapika.”

The girl nods again. Turning innocent, doll-like eyes on him, she says, “Pat my head?” 

Right. Killua had said that Nanika only ever speaks to give requests—and not even that once her requests are fulfilled. Kurapika pats her head. 

“You can't sleep either, huh?” 

Nanika shakes her head. The two locks of hair resting over her shoulders sway left and right. “Help me find a seashell?” 

“Of course.” 

They stand up. It's dark, but the full moon illuminates the beach well enough spot the white shells poking out of the sand. Kurapika picks one up. 

“Do you like this?”

Nanika takes the shell, turning it over in her hands. Her face scrunched up as she scrutinizes it. Finally, she shakes her head. 

They keep walking. After a while, Kurapika picks up a shell that looks pink under the light. It's broken; the edges are jagged enough to bleed on. Nanika smiles brightly, bouncing forward to take the shell. 

“You like that one?”

The girl nods eagerly, and Kurapika smiles. They're quite far, he realizes; they've wandered so much in their quest for shells that the group is barely visible. The moon has travelled across the sky as they've walked. 

Tucking the shell into a pocket, Nanika slips her hand into Kurapika’s, tugging him towards their friends. 

“Tell me a sad story,” she says, with eyes full of too many shadows for such a young face. 

So Kurapika tells her. 

 

He's only just finished when they return, once again taking their seats on the sand. Nanika’s eyes are black. She looks at him expectantly, waiting for a wish. 

Kurapika thinks. Sitting by his side is a girl whose wishes can do anything. 

“Nanika,” he says quietly, “why don't we both go to sleep?” 

Leaning into his side, Nanika smiles. “Kay.” 

After a moment, the world fades to black.

 

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> well that was weird  
>  ~~I finished this show a week ago end my life~~
> 
> I just really, really want to see the original Hunter Fam + Alluka spending time together dong something _unrelated to battle_ , so I made this. I also just want Kurapika to, like, _chill_ for a bit ~~because he's my husband and i love him~~
> 
> I wanted Leorio to have a bigger role in this fic because he's so underrated, but Gon and Killua ended up squashing him down anyway (^-^); rip leorio 
> 
> I hope the characters are more or less in-character, and I hope you enjoyed that first chapter~ ~~because I have no idea where to start once their road trip actually begins I've never done a road trip before what am I doing why did i think this was a good idea~~


	2. Festival x and x Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> *nagisa voice* team mom! team mom! team mom!

A splash of cold seawater to the face isn't an ideal way to wake up, but Kurapika does acknowledge that it's somewhat better than the blaring alarm of Neon Nostrade’s self-chosen ringtone on his phone at two in the morning because she had a dream about caramel apples and simply  _ must  _ have some right this very second. 

“Ahhh, sorry!” Gon’s sheepish voice rings across the beach, cutting through the lingering fog of sleep hanging over his mind. “I was trying to get Killua…” 

A camera flashes, blinding Kurapika just as his eyes were coming into focus, and he groans. 

_ Isn't this supposed to be my vacation? _

“Hehe, sorry about the flash! You two look so confused, I couldn't resist!” Leorio’s voice, this time.

Rubbing his eyes, Kurapika looks around to see Alluka sitting on the sand beside him, wringing salty water out of her hair; it appears she bore the brunt of Gon’s tidal smash. 

Ah, right—he was sitting with Nanika when he used his wish to let them both sleep. 

“Yep, this one’s going in the album!” Leorio is bent over his camera when Kurapika locates him, lips pulled into a toothy blend of a smirk and a smile. He scuttles—literally scuttles, like a lanky crab in a suit—over to Kurapika, placing the camera inches from his face. Kurapika sees himself and Alluka, near mirror images of each other with pouting lips and noses wrinkled in confusion, and water still clinging to Alluka’s eyelashes and the bangs in Kurapika’s face. 

“...What album?” Kurapika says, in place of  _ what the fuck why would you do this.  _

“Our family vacation album,” Leorio states, like it's the most obvious thing in the world. “Well, it's a strange family, but we’ll look good on paper.” He ends the explanation with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of his head. Kurapika thinks, fleetingly, that he looks like Gon. 

“Family, huh?” 

 

.

 

Later, watching the road stream by with his head resting against the window, as Gon and Alluka sing along to the radio and Killua beatboxes in the background, Kurapika smiles to himself. 

If this is his new family… well, that's not so bad. 

 

.

 

“Are we there yet?” 

“Would you  _ shut up _ ?” Leorio vents, gripping the wheel tighter. “It's not like you're the one who's been driving for four hours!” Under his breath, he adds, “Damned spoiled brat.” 

“I heard that, failed doctor,” Killua grumbles back, idly swinging his yoyo in the limited space. “At least driving keeps you focused. I'm so bored I could kill a man.”  

“Then go to sleep like your sister, aka  _ the better Zoldyck _ . Or, better yet, get out of the car and  _ walk _ . And the last time I checked, this doctor has a  _ job _ , unlike  _ you _ .” 

“Bleh.” 

“Don't you stick your tongue out at me—!” 

“Guys, stop arguing! Let's just play a game to pass the time!” Gon claps his hands together. “How about I Spy?” 

“Great, I'll go first,” Killua deadpans. “I spy something beginning with  _ f  _ and ending with  _ ailed doctor _ .” 

“Killua, you're not supposed to say what it ends with—” 

“You little bastard, I'll—!” 

“Pfft… hahaha…” All conversation in the car comes to an abrupt halt. Usually, as in situations like these, the single remaining voice would taper off as it realizes it is now the center of attention, awkwardly attempting to remove itself from the spotlight. But there's laughter bubbling up from his heart, and there's no real reason because bickering like this is normal for them, but it's been so  _ long _ since he smiled like this, since he let his guard down completely to laugh just because he's  _ happy _ , so Kurapika closes his eyes and covers his face with his hands and laughs until all the breath is gone from his lungs, and then some. He doesn't even notice the car stopping suddenly, doesn't notice three pairs of eyes glued on him in surprise. But he hears when Leorio chuckles and Gon’s wide smile breaks into a few giggles of its own. He hears the slight, amused huff of breath from Killua, which is a flood of affection, coming from  _ him _ . 

Then Leorio’s eyes are back on the road and he exclaims, “We’re here!” 

Immediately, Gon and Killua are leaning out of the open windows as the car starts moving again, taking in the sights and sounds—and, in Gon’s case, smells—of a brand new city. Kurapika catches a glimpse of a sign as they enter—it's a city he's wanted to visit, one he mentioned to the others during their long wait in Trick Tower after reading about it in a book he found there. He wonders how they could possibly have remembered such a small moment amongst more than a year of more significant ones. He wonders how he could possibly deserve friends like these, and how he can make up to them all those months of silence, all the times he left without saying goodbye and told himself that he walks alone. And even with these thoughts in mind, even though he immediately hates himself for thinking it, he wonders if he'll find any Phantom Troupe members here. 

And then he has no time to wonder, because Gon is tugging on one of his hands and Killua on the other, and when Leorio’s camera goes off it’s like the blinding of the flash burns all the shadows right out of his mind. Kurapika lets Killua pull him in the direction of a candy store, and he allows himself the time to wander. 

 

.

 

The city is quiet; most of the stores are closed, streets empty. The reason for this becomes evident when the group rounds a corner and is met with a near-epileptic wave of music and light. 

“Oh!” Alluka claps excitedly. “It’s a festival!” 

“I bet they have cake,” Killua says, eye lighting up. He grabs Alluka’s hand. “Gon, let’s go.” 

“Wait a moment!” Kurapika begins, but the three are already pushing through the crowd, Gon’s nose leading them. He exchanges a glance with Leorio; the doctor shrugs, and they brace themselves before plunging in after their friends. 

By the time Kurapika catches sight of them, Gon and Alluka are standing in front of what looks like a carnival stand, watching as Killua attempts to hit a rapidly moving target with his yoyo. There are three; Killua is aiming for the one in the middle. His eyes are dark, completely focused on the task. After a moment, his wrist flicks; before anyone can blink, the target has been knocked back. 

“Yes!” Killua beams as the lady behind the stand hands him a stuffed rabbit, which he passes to Alluka. “Am I the best brother, or  _ am  _ I the best brother?” 

“Thank you, Onii-chan!” Alluka stops, as though listening to some unheard voice. “Nanika wants one, too. She wants the big one.” 

“No problem,” Killua smirks. He glances at Gon. “Now watch me be better than you for a second time.”

“Shut up, Killua,” Gon complains. “I would have been able to do it if I had my fishing rod.”

“Whatever you say.” He pulls some change from his pocket. “Can I get another try?” 

“One try per person,” the lady behind the stand says, eyeing the dent on her target. “I only have so many prizes.” 

“Aww…” Alluka—no, her voice is subtly different, this is Nanika—sighs. 

“I’ll have a go,” Kurapika says. “We can use anything to hit the target, right?”

“Right,” the lady affirms. “If the kid wants the big rabbit, you’ll need to hit the third one.”

Kurapika studies the target. It’s the fastest of the three, its movements jerkier and more random. He can sense a faint aura radiating from it; this is a Nen puppet. It’s no wonder there are far fewer of the large prizes than the smaller ones; it’s unlikely that any normal person could manage to strike the second target, let alone the third. Conjuring his chains, Kurapika lifts his hand, not taking his eyes off the dancing target. It may be controlled by Nen, but it’s still attached to a mechanical system, and there are rules it will certainly have to follow. Kurapika tracks the target’s movements, blocking all other stimuli; this puppet is smaller and more nimble than Uvogin, but if he could defeat the Phantom Troupe member, this shouldn’t be difficult. Taking a breath, he sends one chain zooming forward. The puppet dodges—and is skewered by a second chain, concealed by In. Kurapika retracts his chains, leaving the target with a neat hole through its chest. The lady sighs. 

“You’re Hunters, aren’t you?” she grumbles, handing Nanika the larger rabbit. Without it, the wall containing the prizes looks much emptier. 

“Yep!” Gon and Killua state together. 

“As I thought. Well, enjoy the rest of the festival.” Retreating into her stand, the lady mutters, “I need to put up a no-Hunters sign.” 

Killua’s laugh sounds suspiciously close to a maleficent cackle, but Nanika’s childish squeal of joy as she hugs the stuffed animal counteracts its effect. Both sounds are immediately drowned out by the sound of a screeching mic, however, and when the noise dies down, a perky voice declares, “It’s time for the karaoke!” 

Four pairs of eyes swing to Kurapika. 

“You know,” Gon states, “Mito-san always told me that singing is a great way to relieve stress.”

 

.

 

Kurapika is perched on a roof above the city square. Obscured by a smoking chimney, he’s hidden from view, but he can just make out the makeshift stage from his vantage point. Gon is singing now, his voice filling the square. It’s an upbeat, folksy song; something his aunt taught him years ago. He’s bouncing all around the stage, punctuating every word with energetic gestures. He’s lucky the kid is such a limitless ball of energy; with Gon rushing to the stage and pulling Killua and Alluka after him, slipping away into the crowd was a mere matter of escaping Leorio’s notice. He’ll come down eventually, of course, once the festival’s next event begins and he can’t be coerced into any unnecessary public speaking. 

“Hey.” 

“Wh—” Kurapika catches himself at the last moment before he can topple right off the roof and into the crowd below. “Killua?” 

The ex-assassin crouches beside him, smirking. “Did you think I couldn’t sense your presence up here?” 

“I assumed you’d be distracted by all the other people,” Kurapika admits, once he’s regained his balance. 

Killua scoffs. “Those guys can’t use Nen. Even the few that can have weak auras, compared to yours. It’s like trying to mask the taste of mint in water with a couple spoons of sugar.” 

Kurapika casts him a side-eyed look. “Eloquent.”

“I have moments,” Killua mutters. “Well,” he tips back with his hands behind his head, lying on the slanted roof like it’s flat as a plain, “I’m not going to snitch, ‘cause Alluka wants me to sing, too, which is not going to happen.” 

Laughing softly, Kurapika leans back against the chimney. “Didn’t you say you would do anything for your sister?”

“Yeah, of course. I would die for her. But I  _ have  _ my limits.” 

“Of course.” It’s difficult to stifle his amusement; the kid sounds perfectly sincere. 

After a stretch of silence, Killua says, “I think Leorio is Gon’s dad now.” 

Kurapika has to take a moment to process the statement. “...Is that right?” 

“Oh, he’s still obsessed with living up to Ging, but Ging isn’t much of a father. Leorio’s probably the closest thing to a dad Gon’s ever known. It’s probably been that way since the Hunter Exam.” 

“Hm.” Kurapika looks back at the crowd. Gon is hopping off the stage, having finished his song. He looks lost, for a moment, before Leorio appears behind him and ruffles his hair. “I think you’re right. But I think he's more like the group dad, not just Gon’s.” 

“Oh, yeah. Then, I guess that makes you the group mom.” 

Kurapika nearly falls off the roof again. “...What.” 

Killua hums musingly and then sits up. “You're calmer than Leorio, most of the time, and you gave Gon emotional support after that run-in with Hisoka. You just feel more like a mom, I guess.” He pauses. “I've been told that a natural response to seeing your mother overwork herself is to try to separate her from that work and help her relax. Or something.”

“...” Is there a correct response to this? Kurapika isn't sure. “I knew Gon sometimes has strange moments of insight,” he tries, “but I didn't expect you to be so perceptive.” 

“Thanks, Mom,” Killua says, in a voice that is the auditory embodiment of sarcasm. 

“No problem, Son,” Kurapika’s mouth says, bypassing his brain. 

There's a moment, frozen in time, and then Killua cracks a smile, shoulders shaking slightly in silent laughter. Kurapika maintains a straight face for a beat longer, before succumbing to a smile of his own. 

“Oh—Kurapika, Killua! That's where you are!” They're still laughing when they glance down towards the voice to see Leorio standing beneath the roof, arms waving above his head. Gon and Alluka are to either side of him, each quietly licking at three layers of ice cream precariously balanced on a flimsy cone. “Get down from there,” Leorio is hollering. “We’ve been looking for you for half an hour!” 

“Right away, Dad!” Killua yells back. 

Kurapika tries and fails to stifle a laugh. The ex-assassin flashes him a smirk, and then leaps off the roof, brushing himself off and a confused Leorio snaps,  “What was that?!” 

Ignoring him—as usual—Killua glances back up at Kurapika and grins.  _ Coming? _

Kurapika stands up on the roof and jumps down to join his family. 

 

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> F L U F F
> 
> is this ooc  
> I feel like this is ooc 
> 
>  
> 
> ~~but i don't care bc it's happy~~
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway. This chapter was difficult because I... don't... get out much... so I'm not sure what to write about. So, if anyone has road trip head canons you'd like to see, please tell me (^-^);
> 
>  
> 
> Nonetheless, I'm really enjoying this fic, so I hope you're enjoying reading it. And, hey, if you are, maybe leave me a comment! Your approval is my brain fuel~


	3. Leorio x The x Life Coach

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leorio takes matters into his own hands.

They crash at a bed and breakfast that night. Well—Kurapika and Leorio  _ attempt  _ to crash, only to fail horribly as they slowly come to realize the downsides of having two hyperactive thirteen-year-olds and an extremely suggestible twelve-year-old as friends. Gon, Killua, and Alluka spend half the night jumping on the  _ incredibly _ bouncy mattresses and having pillow fights (Killua cheats by using Nen), until Leorio pulls a blanket over his head and yells at them to shut up. After that, the lights go off, but the whispering and muted giggles carry on well into the twilight hours. 

Kurapika isn't finding the concept of them being his children as amusing as it was seven hours ago. 

 

.

 

“Guhhh…” Leorio is drooped over his cereal. He’s lucky his hair is spiky; if he had long bangs, like Kurapika, they’d be soaking up milk right now. “Kurapikaaaaa,” he groans, barely managing to lift his head, “how are you awake?” Dragging a hand across his face, he laments, “I’m no stranger to staying up late, but  _ this _ …” 

Kurapika smiles, deftly sliding the cereal bowl away just as Leorio’s face drops to the table. “It’s because you were constantly being woken up, so your standard sleep cycles were interrupted. I’m used to it, because Neon has a habit of calling me in the middle of the night to make demands.” 

Leorio shudders. “You need to quit that job. It isn’t worth it, I’m telling you this as a friend.” 

“You know I can’t do that. Ah, there we go.” Kurapika finishes mixing the glass in front of him and hands it to his friend. “This should wake you up.” 

“Thanks.” Leorio downs the glass in one shot and then gasps audibly—or maybe it’s more of a wheezing sputter. “What did you just give me?!” 

“Calm down, it’s more or less fruit juice.”

“More or less—?” 

“See, you’re more alert already.” 

“Well, that’s true,” Leorio concedes in a grumble. 

“Melody usually makes them for me, to keep by my bedside. She makes them for herself and Basho, too, in case any of us are woken by Neon’s whims, although it's mostly just me.” He laughs—a soft, self-deprecating sound. “I tried to replicate it based on taste, but it’s probably not as effective as hers.” 

“No, it’s fine. I feel more awake.” Leorio smiles, but his smile falls as he casts a dark glance down the table, where the three kids are alternating between talking excitedly and stuffing their faces with pancakes. “Of course, they wouldn’t need any bitter juices to be irritatingly energetic.”

“Give it time. After not sleeping and then overdosing on sugar, they’ll probably use their energy up quickly and fall asleep in the car, and you’ll be grateful then.” Kurapika stops, recalling Leorio’s words. “Oh, wait a second…” He studies the empty glass of juice and sinks a little in his seat. 

“...It wasn’t supposed to be bitter…” 

 

.

 

True to his prediction, Gon, Killua, and Alluka spend their remaining hour in the city practically—and, occasionally, literally—bouncing off the walls as they dart from store to store, returning with armfuls of toys and sweets that can barely fit into the car. Kurapika doesn’t know—doesn’t really want to know—when or where or  _ how _ they got the money for it all. And, true to his prediction, they all fall asleep almost as soon as the car starts moving. 

Leorio glances at them in the rearview mirror. “They’re pretty cute, when they’re not making a mess.” 

“Mm.” 

There’s a pause, filled with the soothing sound of the car roaming across the highway, before Leorio ventures, “Are you happy there?” 

“Hm? Where?” 

“In your job.” 

Kurapika considers this. “I haven’t thought about that. I’m working for Nostrade because I need his connections, and so far it’s worked well. Since Dalzollene was killed by the Troupe, I’ve become Neon’s primary guard, so the family relies on me and generally gets me the information I need, if I’m careful in how I phrase things. That also means that Neon more frequently calls me than either of the others, but I’ve gotten used to that, so I’m finding it easier to handle her demands. Then, I guess I would consider Melody a friend, and Basho isn’t bad, either, so the people are alright—” 

“ _ Jeez _ ,” Leorio groans. “I didn’t ask for an analysis! Do you  _ feel  _ happy there or not?!” 

“Feel…?” Kurapika frowns. “I guess… so. It's not ideal, I mean, I don't enjoy being controlled by the whims of someone like Neon, but it's not that bad. I guess you could say I'm content to work there, for now.”

Leorio huffs out one of those annoyed-affectionate sighs. “ _ Good _ . Honestly, you’re so difficult.” 

Closing his eyes, Kurapika smiles. “As difficult as the one who would risk expulsion from the Hunter Exam just to feel up an attractive woman?” 

He can practically hear Leorio’s teeth grinding, hear the slight stretch of leather as he tightens his grip on the wheel. “That was  _ over a year ago _ , don’t bring up stuff from the past! Besides,” he huffs, “you were willing to waste our time as well, by refusing to finish that blue guy off, so I don’t want to hear  _ anything  _ from you.” 

“Hm, at least I  _ won _ my match.” 

“You self-righteous little—” This time, Kurapika really  _ can  _ hear his teeth grinding. “You never change.” Somewhere behind the grating comment is a touch of fondness.

“The same to you. You’re just as frantic and impatient as ever.” He smiles as he says it, opening his eyes to glance at his friend. 

Leorio sighs. “I wouldn’t be so  _ frantic  _ if you weren’t constantly causing me stress, would I?” 

“Ah, I see.” This, Kurapika decides, is a good time to bring up that comment again. “Because I’m, what was it, not the right person to lecture you on the subject of a healthy lifestyle?” 

“Having a Nen blade constantly pointed at your heart is  _ not  _ healthy living!” 

“Didn’t you guys all ask me to do the same to you—?”

“And you can’t live off of coffee and rage! You have to eat real food,  _ real _ proteins and fruits! I  _ swear _ I’m going to start organizing all of your meals! And don’t think I believe for a second that you were alert this morning because you’re used to interrupted sleep, because I have my doubts that you sleep at all! And I know for a  _ fact  _ that you don’t get enough fresh air! When I first met you, you were much less pale and you had a healthy flush! Now you look like a goddamn vampire! And you need to get a damn haircut, how can you even  _ see _ like that?!” 

Kurapika watches in awed silence as the doctor rambles on, his right arm gesticulating wildly, to the point where he nearly hits Kurapika in the face several times (which, Kurapika suspects, may not be quite as accidental as it seems). 

When he’s done, Leorio puts his hand back on the wheel and takes several long, ragged breaths. 

“...You’ve been holding that in for a long time, haven’t you?”

“You…” Leorio mumbles back weakly. “You cause me… so much stress…” 

Kurapika can’t hold back a small laugh. “I’m fine, Leorio… I know what I’m doing.”

“There you go again.” Leorio somehow manages to huff yet  _ again _ , in spite of his worrying lack of breath. “You always think you know best, but  _ I’m  _ the doctor between us. I really am going to manage your nutritional intake. In fact, I might just take your whole daily schedule into my own hands, since you clearly aren’t capable of making sane life choices.” 

Caught somewhere between defending himself and completely melting at the concern so clear in his friend’s tone and posture, Kurapika opts for the middle ground. “I still think I’m capable of taking care of myself,” he begins. Leorio lets out a strangled sound that seems to say  _ ‘I hate you’ _ , _ ‘I expected you to say that’ _ , and ‘ _ I will literally tie you to a chair and force-feed you a vegetable so help me God’  _ at the same time. Softening his voice, Kurapika continues, “But, I’ll go along with whatever management you want during these two months. After that, I’ll make my own decisions. Deal?” 

There’s a beat as Leorio brings the car to a screeching halt. His whole body turns along with his head as he stares in stunned silence at Kurapika. “...You what?” 

In the backseat, the kids stir, but remain asleep. 

“You heard me,” Kurapika says patiently. “Just give it a moment to sink in.”

“Oi.” Leorio eyes him suspiciously. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Ye—what are you doing?”

Leorio has a hand pressed to Kurapika’s forehead, concern written across his face. “Are you sure? You don’t seem to have a fever, but…” 

Kurapika swats his hand away. “I’m  _ fine _ . Is it so difficult for you to believe that I’d make a rational decision?” 

“Yes.” 

He doesn’t even hesitate. Kurapika is kind of offended. 

“...Alright,” Leorio says at last, putting the car into drive. “Deal.” 

Kurapika lets out a soft sigh and goes back to looking out the window. 

“Don’t get too comfortable!” Leorio barks, and Kurapika nearly jumps out of his skin. “Your rescheduling starts now! You’re a Conjurer, aren’t you? Make yourself some paper and a pen, this will take some work! Get to it, we need to act quickly if we’re to counteract all the damage you’ve done! Time is of the essence! First—!” 

Conjuring the listed items, Kurapika rapidly scribbles down the torrent of information coming from the driver’s seat, struggling to keep up with the doctor’s constant revisions and updates. 

“Seriously,” he mutters, just slightly too quiet for his friend to hear. “Don’t ever become a personal trainer.”

 

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is short and dialogue-heavy I'm sorry 
> 
> I actually really like writing dialogue, as you can probably tell... and it looks like I've slipped back into my habit of having one relationship develop in each chapter. It'll probably balance out after Gon's turn.
> 
> Honestly, I realized in this chapter that it's been so long since I wrote a non-shippy fic that I've almost forgotten how -.-" 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyway, I like the idea of Leorio taking over Kurapika's habits because God _damn_ this guy needs an intervention, so, yeah, have this ^-^


	4. Rabbits x And x Fish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ''what the fuck kind of rabbits have you seen. that is a _fish_ ''

 

Kurapika wakes up with faded words written backwards on his face. At some point in Leorio’s tirade, the kids woke up. The five of them decided to take a rest break in a meadow along the road, and Kurapika managed to find a real notebook in which to write down a coherent version of Leorio’s flurry of instructions; the whole experience is a blur, and Kurapika can’t remember much, but he must have fallen asleep with the notebook over his face, because there is smudged pen writing on both. 

“Leorio is scary sometimes.” 

Kurapika gasps, bolting upright, to see Gon sitting next to him in the grass, a partially formed daisy crown in his hands. His Nen is gone, yet the kid has completely concealed his presence, seemingly without his own awareness. In spite of the heat, Kurapika shivers. 

“...Yes.” Dropping the notebook onto the ground, Kurapika rubs his face. “This isn’t going to come off.”

“I think there’s a stream nearby,” Gon supplies absentmindedly, continuing to thread the flowers together. Now that Kurapika looks, there aren’t just daisies; the meadow is blanketed in wildflowers, and Gon’s crown features a variety of whites, pinks, blues, and purples. “Killua and the rest went fishing. You can wash it off later.” After a momentary pause, he adds, “Or not. If you see it when you look in the mirror, it might motivate you.” His voice is uncharacteristically quiet, but his face looks the same as ever, scrunched up in concentration as he weaves the stems together.

“No, thanks,” Kurapika mutters. Then, curiously, “You’re making a flower crown?”

“Mmhm.” Tying off the last few stems, Gon drops his creation onto his lap and lets out an elated sigh, tilting backwards as he flings his arms out and stretches. “Ahhh, that was really difficult!” 

“How long have you been working on that thing?” 

“Ages.” Gon looks sympathetically at him. “Leorio must have really tired you out with all that yelling. You've been asleep for two and a half hours.” 

Kurapika elects not to mention the part Gon—and Killua and Alluka—may have had in that. “It looks nice,” he says instead. 

Gon’s face lights up. It's surprising, sometimes, how sweet and innocent he can still look after everything that's happened. “Really? Do you want it?” 

“No, I—” Before he can complete the sentence, Gon has dumped the crown over his head. It's slightly too big, falling over his eyes, but Kurapika can see Gon smiling widely when he pushes the flowers out of his view, intending to remove them entirely from his head. 

“It suits you!” 

“...Is that so.” Kurapika lets the crown fall back into place and sighs. “Thank you, I think.” 

Laughing, Gon falls back on the grass. “You're welcome. Hey, that cloud looks like a butterfly!” 

“Hm?” Kurapika looks up, following Gon’s pointing finger. “In what universe does  _ that  _ resemble a butterfly?” 

“Look, see, there's his wings…”

“If anything, it looks like a man with some deformed appendages on his back that  _ could  _ potentially be considered wings.” 

Gon pulls a face. “Too many big words. But, yeah, that's exactly what he looks like! Pouf!” 

“...Poof?” 

“Shaiapouf,” Gon explains. “One of the Chimera King’s three guards.” 

“The one you fought?” Kurapika ventures. 

Gon shakes his head. “No. I met him for a bit, though. He was weird. He also used a lot of big words and he had that same feeling as you do, like he was always thinking something smart and cunning.” He hums. “Pouf felt a bit more malevolent, though. But I think you would have gotten along with him.” 

“...That cloud looks like Mike,” Kurapika says. There are times he appreciates Gon’s blend of surprising insight and childish bluntness, and there are times he wants to tape the kid’s mouth shut. 

“Oh, yeah!” All comparisons between his friend and a certifiably psychotic Chimera Ant forgotten, Gon points a little to the left of the hulking, dog-shaped cloud. “And that one is an intruder he’s half eaten! And  _ that  _ one’s the intruder’s friend, running away.” 

“Fun,” Kurapika mutters, feeling very much like a mother whose child just cheerfully taped a hand-drawn picture of war terrors to the fridge. After a moment, he points upwards. “Look, it’s you.” 

“Oh, really?” Gon smiles, taking in the humanoid cloud with spiky hair. “That tall one looks like Leorio. See, he's even got his briefcase!” 

Kurapika laughs. “Even the heavens can't separate him from that thing.” 

“Oh, that one looks a bit like Killua,” Gon continues, gesturing to another cloud, a little darker than the rest. “The stringy bit is his yoyo.” 

“Then, the small one next to it must be Alluka.” 

“Yeah. She's holding a rabbit, see?” 

“That looks more like a misshapen lump of fabric.”

“No, it's definitely a rabbit,” the kid insists. 

“What kind of rabbits have you seen? If anything, it's a fish.” 

Turning his head so that his cheek is pressed against the grass, Gon turns deep, solemn eyes on him. “Kurapika, I'm beginning to think that you have never actually seen a rabbit.” 

“Of course I have,” Kurapika scoffs. “There were plenty of rabbits back ho—” He stops. “In any case, it's a fish.”

“Rabbit.”

“Fish.”

“Rabbit.”

“ _ Fish _ .” 

Gon stands up. Cupping his hands around his mouth, he hollers, “KILLUAAAAA!” 

After a moment, the ex-assassin’s voice comes ringing back. “YYEEAAAHHH??” 

The flowers sway as Gon yells back. Kurapika covers his ears. “SEE THOSE CLOUDS THAT LOOK LIKE YOU AND ALLUKAAAAA?” 

Silence, then another, “YYEEEAAAHHH??” 

“ALLUKA’S HOLDING A RABBIT, RIIIGHT?” 

“NO WAAAY,” comes the response. “THAT’S A GIRAAAFFE!” 

“WHAAAAAAAT?!” 

Leorio’s voice joins them. “NOOOO, IT’S A BIIIIIRD!” 

Gon stares out across the meadow, in the direction of the voices. He turns to Kurapika incredulously. “Are you all crazy?” Turning back, he takes a deep breath. The grass bends towards him. 

Leaping up, Kurapika covers Gon’s mouth and pulls him back down to the grass. “Please be quiet,” he mutters. “There may still be a lucky mouse or two left whose ears  _ haven’t  _ imploded.” 

“Sorry,” Gon says sheepishly. 

A few moments later, the rest of their friends come trudging over a hill, wading through an ocean of flowers to reach their grassy patch. Alluka squints up at the sky as Leorio and Killua dump a basket of fresh fish on the ground. 

“I think it's a rabbit,” she says. Gon looks smug. 

“Shut up, Gon,” Killua says before his friend can speak. He's already setting up a small fire as Leorio pokes sticks through the fish. “Alluka loves rabbits. She's biased.” 

Soon, they're once again gathered around the fire with their sleeping bags all laid out around it to form a sort of outdoors sitting-room, dropping fishbones into the flames. The issue of the cloud rabbit ( _ fish _ , Kurapika corrects in his mind) remains unresolved. 

“Hey…” Leorio says after a moment. “The smoke looks kind of like a dancing woman.”

Choking on his food, Killua scowls. “Are you  _ stupid _ ? It looks like a  _ kite _ .” 

“ _ I  _ think it looks like Kurapika.” 

“...Gon, what the  _ fuck _ —”

“Oh, but Killua’s  _ kite  _ made perfect sense!” 

“You wanna  _ fight me _ on this, you little green gremlin?!” 

Kurapika faceplants into his pillow and doesn't move until Leorio’s instructions are printed onto his bedding, too. 

 

.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO I FINALLY GOT AROUND TO READING THE DARK CONTINENT ARC  
> FUCK ME HOW COULD HE LEAVE IT LIKE THAT   
> Now I understand why HxH veterans are so bitter and sad... ;-;
> 
> In any case, I've changed Kurapika's response in chapter one from having found five pairs of eyes to about a hundred, bc god _damn_ , that boy has been _busy_
> 
> *sobs* they hinted at so many different interesting stories about how he collected all those eyes and then didn't even show us. and yet the fuCKING CHIMERA ANTS GOT HALF THE FUCKING SHOW ¬_¬
> 
> speaking of Ants, I gave Pouf a sort of verbal cameo in this chapter because he really does remind me of Kurapika in a very few, very small ways... and also just because I love him so much, he's an actual yandere and my son. 
> 
> I've said this before, but if you guys have any ideas or headcanons, please do tell me in the comments, because I honestly have no idea what to do next, although I do plan on introducing one or two familiar faces soon. And, as always, general comments are always appreciated!

**Author's Note:**

> well that was weird  
>  ~~I finished this show a week ago end my life~~
> 
> I just really, really want to see the original Hunter Fam + Alluka spending time together dong something _unrelated to battle_ , so I made this. I also just want Kurapika to, like, _chill_ for a bit ~~because he's my husband and i love him~~
> 
> I wanted Leorio to have a bigger role in this fic because he's so underrated, but Gon and Killua ended up squashing him down anyway (^-^); rip leorio 
> 
> I hope the characters are more or less in-character, and I hope you enjoyed that first chapter~ ~~because I have no idea where to start once their road trip actually begins I've never done a road trip before what am I doing why did i think this was a good idea~~


End file.
